By September 14, 2006, the race between Rainville and Welch was close. An American Research Group poll showed Welch with a 48-45% lead.

On October 4, 2006, The Burlington Free Press reported that one of Rainville's staffers, Christopher Stewart, resigned from her campaign after committing plagiarism—copying policy statements from other politicians, including Senator Hillary Clinton, and using them on Rainville's website. Rainville's website was off-line for some time while her staff removed the plagiarized passages.

Welch beat Rainville 53% to 45%, or 139,585 votes to 117,211.

List of representatives

Vermont had district representation upon admission as the 14th State in 1791.

1813-1821: Six seats

From 1813-1821, beginning with the 13th Congress, Vermont elected its Representatives statewide At-Large.